The UMass CFAR Clinical Core's mission is to provide the infrastructure and services that promote innovative patient-oriented and translational HIV research. The CFAR Clinical Core has the following goals: 1) To facilitate interactions between basic scientists and clinical investigators that lead to patient-oriented studies that improve our understanding of HIV pathogenesis and the development of novel prevention or treatment strategies;2) To provide the necessary expertise and services to facilitate patient-oriented and translational research;3) To coordinate services with other CFAR Core Laboratories;4) To support the training and advancement of new investigators in HIV-related research;and 5) To provide community education regarding HIV and UMass CFAR Clinical HIV Research. The Clinical Core consists of a Clinical Sciences Core and a Clinical Immunology Core. The Clinical Sciences Core provides services that support the design, implementation, and analysis of patient-oriented and translational research with the goals of streamlining investigator training and protocol development. Other services provided by the Clinical Sciences Core include specimen receipt, processing, storage, and shipment;maintenance of extensive, integrated clinical (adult and pediatric) and laboratory databases;and a Bio-Statistics Sub-Core to provide statistical consultation for grant preparation, data analysis, and publications. The Clinical Immunology Core provides protocols, reagents, and services in support of patient-oriented and translational research. In addition, the UMass CFAR Clinical Core has recently partnered with the UMass Flow Cytometry Core to develop a Biosafety Level 3 Flow Cytometry and Sorting Facility. Over the next funding period, the Clinical Core will work with CFAR investigators and other CFAR Cores to provide services supporting studies that improve our understanding of HIV pathogenesis and strategies to prevent or treat HIV-1 infection.